AMMAN An operation to retake the Syrian city of Raqqa from Islamic State has begun, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance of Kurdish and Arab armed groups said on Sunday.The SDF said it had set up a command centre to coordinate with the U.S.-led coalition in the campaign to drive Islamic State from Raqqa, its de facto Syrian capital.

In a press conference in the Syrian town of Ain Issa, a town about 60 km northwest of Raqqa, the group also urged residents of the city to leave and avoid areas where the militants were present to avoid harm.

(Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi, editing by Larry King)

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